Family history and genealogy | National Library of Australia (NLA)
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Family history and genealogy

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A black-and-white photo of a family posed outside a brick house with a white picket fence. In the foreground, a man in a bowler hat sits beside a large dog, while a young girl stands nearby. A seated woman holds a baby on her lap, and a child is visible on the steps of the house in the background. The garden surrounding them is filled with overgrown plants.

Portrait of Oliver Barberie and family, 1900, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136621963

Family history research guide

Uncover hidden stories of your heritage and trace your genealogy using our research guide.

Research guide
Collection guide
Valente Collection

Around 6,000 books, mostly in Portuguese, mostly relating to literature, history and religion among many other topics.

Collection guide
Four members of the Library's Special Collections Research & Support team, two men and two women, sitting at tables in the Main Reading Room

Members of the Special Collections Research & Support team in the Main Reading Room

Unlocking our oral history collections for family history research

Learn about some of our key oral history collections that you can use for family history research.

Blog
Members of a family standing in a line from oldest to youngest

A. Collingridge, Portrait of the Lyons family, Canberra, ca. 1935 nla.obj-137397778

Tracing your family history with the Library’s charts and forms

Learn about the Library's family history research charts and how to find the information to fill them in.

Blog
Black and white photo of a small child playing with a wooden box and a hammer

C. R. Gotts, Philip Gotts, playing with a wooden box, 1921, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144214274

Thinking outside the box: Creative approaches to family history research

See our outside-the-box strategies to help you uncover the hidden branches of your family tree.

Blog
Collection of various portraits, from groups of people to individuals, with the title 'The Memory Tapes' on a yellow back
The Memory Tapes

The Memory Tapes brings history to life through the voices of the people who lived it. Drawing on one of the nation’s most significant oral history collections, the series explores remarkable stories of resilience, innovation, creativity, migration, activism and everyday life. Narrated by oral historian Dr Shirleene Robinson AM, each episode combines firsthand accounts with expert storytelling to reveal the people behind Australia’s history.

Audio
Woman with curly hair standing in front of a wall of framed family photos in the Hopes and Fears exhibition
The family mantlepiece

Learn about the mantlepiece display at the entrance to our Hopes and Fears: Australian Migration Stories exhibition.

Blog
Two men, one on a ladder, looking at books on large bookshelf at the State Library of Victoria

Mark Strizic, Searching for books at the State Library of Victoria, January 1967, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140508667

The art of literary investigation

Learn how to uncover facts and colour from historical documents, manuscripts, newspapers and more.

Learning activity for adults
Video
Detail of the cover of 'Bringing them home : the "Stolen children" report' which features in image of a parent and child playing at sunrise

Australian Human Rights Commission, Bringing them home : the "Stolen children" report (1997) (detail), nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6230268

Stolen Generations resources

If you are researching members of your family who were removed from their families under past Australian Government practices, you can find information documenting the experiences of Stolen Generations in our collection.  

Research guide
A sepia-toned photograph showing a group of passengers relaxing on the deck of a ship. Men and women are seated on deck chairs, dressed in late 19th or early 20th-century clothing, with hats and striped dresses visible. The background shows ship rigging and sails.

Ship passengers relaxing on deck, 1870, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-146719701

Shipping and passenger records

Find immigration records, shipping and passenger lists for fare-paying passengers, assisted migrants and crew members to reveal key details about your family members arrival in Australia.

Research guide
Seven librarians of the National Library sitting or standing around a table talking, smiling and looking at laptops
Researching your family history remotely: Discovering the Library’s eResources

Online genealogy resources make it easier than ever to dive into your family history from the comfort of home. 

Blog
library-card-catalogue
Reconciliation Day: First Nations family history tour

The National Library is proud to participate in Reconciliation Day. This is an introduction to the First Nations family history resources we offer.

Event

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